Amongst Women concentrated on the family, and the new book concentrates on a small community. The dominant units in Irish society are the family and the locality. The idea was that the whole world would grow out from that small…

Quote by John McGahern

Topics: John McGahern Quotes

I've never written anything that hasn't been in my mind for a long time -...

I've never written anything that hasn't been in my mind for a long time -...

I love the description of Gothic churches before the printed word, that they were the...

I love the description of Gothic churches before the printed word, that they were the...

We absolutely believed in Heaven and Hell, Purgatory, and even Limbo. I mean, they were...

We absolutely believed in Heaven and Hell, Purgatory, and even Limbo. I mean, they were...

For example, it's only about 20 years ago the people in that community would have...

For example, it's only about 20 years ago the people in that community would have...

Yes, but also one of the problems for a novelist in Ireland is the fact...

Yes, but also one of the problems for a novelist in Ireland is the fact...

Everything that we inherit, the rain, the skies, the speech, and anybody who works in...

Everything that we inherit, the rain, the skies, the speech, and anybody who works in...

When I was in my 20s it did occur to me that there was something...

When I was in my 20s it did occur to me that there was something...

I feel I grew up in a different century than I live in. I think...

I feel I grew up in a different century than I live in. I think...

I used to take five or six books away and bring five or six books...

I used to take five or six books away and bring five or six books...

Ireland is a peculiar society in the sense that it was a nineteenth century society...

Ireland is a peculiar society in the sense that it was a nineteenth century society...

My father was very outwardly religious.

My father was very outwardly religious.

The way I see it is that all the ol' guff about being Irish is...

The way I see it is that all the ol' guff about being Irish is...

The rosary was said every evening. I always liked that sentence about the medieval Churches,...

The rosary was said every evening. I always liked that sentence about the medieval Churches,...

When I start to write, words have become physical presence. It was to see if...

When I start to write, words have become physical presence. It was to see if...

I read all the time. I was reading a book I admire very much by...

I read all the time. I was reading a book I admire very much by...

I belong to the middle class that grew up very influenced by the Catholic church....

I belong to the middle class that grew up very influenced by the Catholic church....

I think there's a great difference in consciousness in that same way in that when...

I think there's a great difference in consciousness in that same way in that when...

Yes, though I have nothing but gratitude for my upbringing in the church.

Yes, though I have nothing but gratitude for my upbringing in the church.

But that private world, once it's dramatised, doesn't live again until it finds a reader.

But that private world, once it's dramatised, doesn't live again until it finds a reader.

When you're in danger of losing a thing it becomes precious and when it's around...

When you're in danger of losing a thing it becomes precious and when it's around...